The cast of the Black Ice Theater Company's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead onstage at Lake Tahoe Community College's Duke Theatre in 2019.
LAKE TAHOE’S ORIGINAL
LOCALLY OWNED CANNABIS DISPENSARY & CONSUMPTION LOUNGE
It’s that time again. Election season. The tight race for President is dominating news coverage with every blip on the radar generating headlines. But there is a lot going on locally as well. Seven candidates are running for two seats on South Lake Tahoe City Council, none an incumbent, so we will get some fresh faces behind the dais at City Hall. (Additionally, current Councilmember John Friedrich has just resigned due to personal reasons, so on September 24, the remaining councilmembers will appoint a replacement who will serve for about two months. To apply, visit https://www.cityofslt.us/80/City-Council.) Two candidates are running for one seat on the Lake Tahoe Unified School District Board. Four candidates are running for two seats on the South Tahoe Public Utility District Board.
Then there are the local ballot measures. Measure N, the city of South Lake Tahoe vacancy tax initiative, has drawn interest and big money, with almost $1 million in mostly out-of-area donations from real estate and business concerns to defeat the measure. The Yes on N campaign is being mainly funded by South Lake Tahoe City Councilman Scott Robbins and Nick Speal, a council candidate, who have contributed most of the approximately $20,000 collected
so far. Tahoe Dad abandons his usual neutrality and lets us know his stance on Measure N this month and of course Peggy has some salient observations. Also, we also offer contrasting guest columns on Measure N so readers can see side-by-side the arguments in favor of and against this ballot question. Who can and cannot vote on Measure N has been the subject of confusion and conflict, so in addition, we have a news brief on a recent letter sent out to certain voters by the El Dorado County District Attorney regarding the issue.
Drawing far less attention so far has been Measure U, the LTUSD $127 million bond measure. See Mike’s Mutterings this month for more information and, of course, his opinion as a teacher and member of the community.
When the Tahoe Mountain News debuted 30 years ago, there was little in-depth coverage of local elections. We filled that niche by interviewing candidates extensively, organizing debates and combing through campaign contribution reports and ballot statements among other journalistic endeavors. These days, other news outlets, community organizations and social media have filled much of that gap, so we are doing less of that so as not to be redundant. We
will be following local election news closely, however, and doing our homework and will be publishing a round up and endorsements next month. This time around, we are focusing on theatre on the South Shore, a once-bustling field that greatly enriched the community on many levels for both performers and audiences alike. Dramatic opportunities and outlets have atrophied somewhat over the years and we take a look at why and what is being done to reinvigorate the theater scene locally. It’s the kind of story that happened slowly over time, that may not have been noticeable in the moment, but the cumulative effects have been considerable. It’s the kind of story we excel at, digging into the history, going behind the scenes, and presenting a deeper understanding of the undercurrents that affect our town.
Coincidentally, longtime Tahoe drama fixture (and Mountain New s movie reviewer) Dave Hamilton is organizing a celebration and retrospective of the past 50 years of theater on the South Shore on October 3. See Heard Around Town for more information on attending what is being billed as the “biggest cast party on the South Shore.” And that’s curtains for September 2024!
-Heather
With the political shitstorm happening around SLT’s Measure N (the vacancy tax) you’d think some people have nothing better to do than spend hours at their keyboard writing degrading insults and personal attacks about the people promoting the measure. What is equally concerning is the $1M that is being spent by state and national real estate interests to come into our town of 11,000 registered voters to buy the election.
There is no law against outside interests influencing an election, but this super-funded campaign with its aggressive tactics could backfire as people who oppose the measure may decide to vote “yes” as a protest. Six years ago, Measure T was opposed by a big money campaign to defeat this initiative to ban VHRs in residential neighborhoods. The National Association of Realtors and VHR companies spent $500,000 against a local $2,000 grass roots campaign and they still lost.
HOW WE ROLL
Our town is endowed with residents who enrich people’s lives and at the same time build community. People like Kathy Jensen, Mary Palin, Lisa Huard and Carol Haase who up and decided to have a reunion of all the teachers (past and present) who taught at the Middle School. It happened in August and 80 educators came together for a night of reminiscing. Also: the amazing Fannans (Bob and Diane) who organize and lead the ukulele mashups at the American Legion; Dianne Rees and the Al Tahoe Firewise team that put on a free (funded by a grant from the Marcella Foundation) neighborhood BBQ for 250 people; Tere Tibbetts who started a book club eleven years ago for Spanishspeaking women to enrich their lives; the ladies of Soroptimist who recognized Diane Weidinger for her 20 years of service to Bread and Broth; the city’s public works department that re-established the crosswalk at El Dorado Beach with ADA compliance; Mike Gabor
with the US Forest Service who is working to create a parallel paved trail from the bridge to Pope Beach for bikes only; private citizens (with help from the city) who imagined and built a park on Ski Run Blvd.
GOODBYE CARL
At the August Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) meeting, District Manager Carl Hasty tearfully announced that he would be “retiring.” In this case “retiring” may have been code for something other than a voluntary decision to end one’s employment.
At that meeting TTD Board Chair Alexis Hill said that Carl had left an indelible mark on our region. In a fictionalized press release, the (TTD) announced that Mr. Hasty
would be retiring after 15 years of “transformational and visionary leadership.”
Carl may have had some successes in other parts of the lake, but his indelible mark on the South Shore includes: empty busses that run up and down Hwy 50, a failure to deliver on the transportation requirements of the new Event Center, and let’s not forget the ten years and $10M that Carl spent pursuing a $100M boondoggle known locally as the Loop Road that would have moved five lanes of Hwy 50 through a poor, mostly minority neighborhood in order to create more commercial development.
In the end, a citizens’ ballot initiative, public outrage and three city council members (Cody Bass, John Friedrich and Tamara Wallace) who voted against the project put an end to Carl’s Loop Road folly. Further evidence that the TTD has failed the South Shore is the recent decision by the city and the county to work together to operate their own transportation system independent of the TTD.
Money and politics Tahoe
“What does it cost to put on the annual environmental summit, who pays for it, and how does one measure the return on investment?”
NOT SO HEAVENLY
At the April 23 council meeting, the city council (after months of good faith negotiations with Vail to annex the resort into the city) voted to discontinue the city’s coordinated parking program when Vail stopped timely communications. Fast forward to the August 27 council meeting when Vail sent their point man, VP Shaydar Edelmann, to the meeting to make the case that Heavenly has been a good community partner and telling the city they should stop wasting taxpayer money to intentionally harm the resort.
Mayor Cody Bass was unambiguous when he responded to Mr. Edelmann that the city has waited over a year for a response to support the annexation and that the parking agreement is tied to the annexation. This is shaping up to be a high-stakes pissing match, with this council (unlike past councils that were rolled over by Heavenly) prepared to get their shoes wet.
To be continued….
Since 1997, the Lake Tahoe Environmental Summit has been bringing local, state and federal officials to the basin to shine a spotlight on the area’s environmental needs.
Clinton and VP Al Gore went out on the U.C. Davis research vessel to learn about phosphorous, nitrogen, and plankton.
Clinton said, “I learned today from (the Washoe tribe’s)
– Fiscal conservative
cost. Private events take place as well. Each year a different California or Nevada congressional member is the host, with the location dictated by which state the person represents.
It started with then-President Bill Clinton who came at the invitation of the late Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., to see firsthand the issues Lake Tahoe was having.
“Local, state, and national leaders came together in 1997 to declare a state of environmental emergency at Lake Tahoe. Tahoe’s waters were losing their famous clarity at an average rate of nearly a foot per year. Aging urban centers with car-choked streets were pouring pollutants into the lake. The forests were overstocked, unhealthy, and ready to burn,” according to the EIP Project Tracker website run by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.
leader that the Washoe first wrote to the president of the United States asking for help on these matters in 1877. It just took 120 years, but I can tell you, from now on, the mail will run more rapidly between Lake Tahoe and Washington, D.C.”
He committed to double the federal investment to Lake Tahoe to more than $50 million for each of the next two years to be spent on more than 25 specific actions. From that initial summit the environmental improvement program was launched as well as the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act.
TRPA has been the lead on putting together this annual event that is open to the public at no
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., hosted this year’s gathering at Round Hill Pines Beach Resort, with the theme being, “Connecting Tahoe: Investing in Transit, Trails, and Technology for the Future.” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was the keynote speaker. The cost this year, according to TRPA, was about $21,600. This covered audio-visual expenses, live streaming, chairs, stage, tent, accessibility mats, security, hats for attendees, an ambulance, and portable restrooms.
“We are usually closer to $12,000 to $15,000. This year was more expensive due to the size of the crowd and increased security measures we put in place,” Victoria Ortiz, TRPA’s community engagement manager, said.
Having a Cabinet member speaking, all the electeds in attendance, and the recent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump led to the decision to beef up security.
It’s up to the site whether a fee is charged. For example,
Round Hill did not charge anything, Sand Harbor has waived costs in the past, and Valhalla has charged, according to Ortiz.
Funding this year came from: TRPA, Tahoe Fund, League to Save Lake Tahoe, U.S. Forest Service, Tahoe Transportation District, Lake Tahoe Marina Association, Truckee North Tahoe TMA, Ski California, California Tahoe Conservancy, Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, Travel North Tahoe Nevada, Sustainable Community Advocates, Douglas County, El Dorado County, South Shore TMA, Lake Tahoe Community College, Tahoe City Public Utility District, Tahoe Prosperity Center, and North Tahoe Public Utility District.
“The return on investment is measured by the support the Lake Tahoe region receives from the congressional delegation to help tackle Lake Tahoe's most pressing issues. Bi-state, bipartisan attention to the region has brought millions of dollars to the environmental improvement program,”
Ortiz said. “In fact, the first summit in 1997 spurred the signing of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act, which brought $300 million in federal dollars to the region. Those monies were matched by state, local, and private dollars for a total of $1 billion toward environmental restoration projects.”
Ortiz added, “With the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act about to expire, we will see the return on investment this year if and when the act is extended in the coming months, allowing more time to fulfill the current authorization
of $415 million in federal dollars for the EIP. It has already passed the Senate, and looks like it will be moving through the House for consideration this fall.”
Participants pay their own way. At most, they may get a government rate on a hotel, which is the norm when they travel. Otherwise, no perks that TRPA knows of. Attendees can take advantage of free public transit and a bike valet.
The summit’s fair has grown through the years. In August, this included 50 EIP partners representing both states, nonprofits, federal agencies, and the Washoe Tribe which could share their stories with the public at their booths.
As Clinton said in 1997, “… one of the reasons that I wanted to come here was not only to highlight to the nation the importance of Lake Tahoe, but also to show the nation that there is a place where environmentalists and business people and ordinary citizens, where Republicans and Democrats, where tribal leaders and governmental people, where everybody is working together in common cause recognizing that there cannot be an artificial dividing line between preserving our natural heritage and growing our economy.”
GOT A QUESTION?
Email: mountainnews2@ gmail.com
Mail: P.O. Box 8974, South Lake Tahoe, CA 95618.
Hi:
This proposed new Development of Barton is a big mistake, the actual land (Lot) does not support this. Someone should have told Barton no, add on to your existing hospital. It will greatly impact the people that live in the neighborhood, obstruct the view of the lake, create a traffic mess in the area.
Tahoe is known for making "bad decisions." The Tahoe Keys has created a negative impact on the environment. All over town
you see banners that say National Treasure but see no evidence the City of South Lake Tahoe takes measures to protect the environment, wildlife, lake etc. Unfortunately it all gets down to $$$$, the hell with the residents who live in Tahoe. I went to a Town Hall meeting several years ago along with 100 or so residents. A toll should be charged to all visitors entering Tahoe, this could easily be done at a designated area, a picture is taken of the car license and then that
person receives a bill in the mail. This is the way many bridges in Bay Area are run. If you are a "Local" who lives in Tahoe you would receive a sticker that you would place on your license and no fee will be charged to locals. You have to pay a park entrance fee to go into Yosemite so why hasn't Tahoe done this????. Tahoe is a Beautiful place, it needs to be protected. Tourists need to be informed, educated and any violations should hold high penalties.
I was a volunteer for Keep Tahoe Blue. It was sickening to see the amount of garbage tourists leave behind. Post signs, maybe a camera—pack out what you bring in --or be prepared to pay the penalty Locals have learned to live in harmony with the environment and the abundance of wildlife Tahoe has. This is our home, the home of wildlife, too. Please respect. Debbie Klee
Representatives from 50 environmental improvement project partners dispense information to the public at the annual summit in August.
Now is the time; yes on N
Our community has a decision to make about what kind of future we want for South Lake Tahoe.
Do we want a future with a thriving business community and local workforce?
Do we want a future where kids growing up here can afford to stay in their hometown?
Do we want a future with funded schools, paved roads, and reliable transit?
If so, what will we do to make that future a reality?
As it stands, we are losing families by the day. Forty-four percent of all housing units in South Lake Tahoe now sit vacant for most of the year, up from 33 percent in 2000. In that time, our population of working-age adults has declined by 24 percent, and our population of school-aged children has dropped by 35 percent. LTUSD has seen a comparable 36 percent drop in enrollment since 2000 – and since school funding is principally tied to attendance rather than local property taxes, the impact on school budgets has been significant.
The problem is not, nor has it ever been, any individual second homeowner, but rather the cost to the community when fewer and fewer homes are lived in full-time. We need people living here supporting the local econ-
omy, and we need housing for our workforce.
More vacant second homes mean fewer places for workers to live.
Responsible governments should work to align market incentives with public benefit, but currently nothing discourages buying local houses as investments and keeping them empty for most of the year, despite the high cost to local retail spending and workforce housing inventory in our community. The goal of Measure N is to shift the market incentives so we can remain a vibrant community for everyone who wants to live here or visit.
We have a housing problem that needs to be solved. We launched the grass roots Measure N initiative so that our town can be a community where our teachers, nurses, firefighters and families can afford to live.
We hear from locals every day who are being forced to relocate due to lack of affordable housing. Are we prepared to pass policy to stop the exodus of local workers and longtime families? Or will we wait until the problem gets even worse?
In the past year, South Lake Tahoe’s city council rejected every proposed option to create a local funding source to address the housing crisis, including a TOT increase, real estate transfer, and city-led vacancy tax. The
opposition’s rallying cry has been, “Now is Not the Time.” But when will the time be?
When the vacancy rate has surpassed 50 percent, and housing prices have tripled?
What should be a community discussion around policy has unfortunately dissolved into a hurricane of misinformation, fear tactics, and political maneuvers, funded by the deep-pocketed real estate lobby and special interest groups.
Recently, the National Association of Realtors broke the record for the most money ever spent to influence a local election in South Lake Tahoe. Per FPPC campaign finance disclosures on the City’s website, total spending from national and state real estate lobbying groups now totals $899,000, nearly double what was spent to fight the Tahoe Neighborhood Group that advocated for Measure T.
Nearly $1 million in out-of-town money is being spent to sow division and confusion around Measure N, but small mountain communities should not be for sale to the highest bidder. We need bold policy like Measure N to protect our community from becoming another vacant mountain town, not a million-dollar misinformation campaign by big city consultants. The real estate lobby knows
the power of progressive policy. They are willing to spend an absurd amount of money to fight Measure N so that housing costs continue to skyrocket, even at the cost of local families and our community.
At their recent public meeting, Realtors’ Association VP Sharon Kerrigan went on record saying, “Governing shouldn’t happen at the ballot box.” We disagree. We believe that when government fails to act, it is up to local voters to stand up for the changes needed
Yes on housing, no on N
Yes, South Lake Tahoe has an affordable housing problem. But hastily grabbing a “vacancy tax” ordinance from another community and stuffing it into a local ballot measure is not the answer. The more people read the full text of Measure N, the more they realize it is a looming disaster that will create more problems, with no guarantee of any housing solution.
Proponents qualified Measure N for the ballot by promising petition signers a solution to affordable housing in South Lake Tahoe. To do so, they have targeted their fundraising scheme at “second homeowners” who don’t or won’t rent their homes to local workers. They tout how Measure N will increase the inventory of affordable housing opportunities. Nothing could be further from the truth.
It defies logic to believe that penalizing a South Lake Tahoe homeowner thousands of dollars will create a new inventory of “affordable housing.” A consequence of the tax administration and enforcement bureaucracy means that even existing renters will have to confirm to their landlords how many days per year they actually occupied their rental.
What documentation will be required of the renter by the landlord and, ultimately the city, to provide proof of rental occupancy? Measure N requires, under penalty of perjury, that an accurate, annual “Declaration of Occupancy” must be filed. And if the declaration is not filed in a timely manner, late penalties can also be applied. If faced with paying a significant tax, will the landlord pass the tax liability on to his or her tenant? For those renting in a multi-unit housing building, if the landlord has any unit(s) subject to the tax, they could pass the cost on to other renters in the building. No rent savings there.
Measure N also authorizes the city to go back up to five years to audit and require the responsible party or parties to prove they lived in their home or had it occupied by another person or persons consistent with Measure N’s requirements. Think about that. Are you certain you could quickly and easily come up with adequate proof to satisfy a city enforcement agent that your home was occupied for at least 183 days in 2019? Or for the years 2020, 2021, 2022, or 2023? And if you can provide the proof, how
many hours will it take you to do so?
Measure N treats all “second homes” the same, regardless of the size, the value, and the circumstances. Despite the picture proponents want to paint, many of the second homes in South Lake Tahoe are small, one-bedroom condominiums or A-frame homes that a middle-class family scrimped and saved for so they could enjoy Lake Tahoe as often as they can. Many have been in the family for generations. Others are owned by retired people on fixed incomes. For many of these people, who love South Lake Tahoe, $500 a month is a lot of money. Even if they stayed here five months a year, they’d be subject to the tax. At the same time, a five-bedroom lakefront home owned by a person of means who only uses it a few times a month or year would pay the same tax. That’s the definition of unfair.
Real Solutions Require
Hard Work
Real housing solutions require hard work and perseverance. That’s the kind of work our coalition of Measure N opponents has done and continues to do. How?
By attending meetings and advocating for Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and city code changes and grant applications to make creating the various types of affordable housing more attractive to those who invest and develop such housing, be they individuals or companies. These meetings can seem endless, but that’s where the perseverance comes in. As an example of long-term commitments, South Lake Tahoe was recently named
South Lake Tahoe resident Amelia Richmond is one of the authors of Measure N.
South Lake Tahoe native Joby Cefalu says Measure N is not the answer. Jeneil
Celebrate a half-century of theater on the South Shore October 3. Nine drama organizations from over the years will be honored and highlighted at the Valhalla Boathouse Theater. The evening starts with a no-host bar, followed by a presentation and more libations and hors d’oeuvres. Cost, $25. Proceeds to fund a theater scholarship for a South Tahoe High student. Tix valhallatahoe.com/ event/50-years-of-South-Tahoe-theatre.
The South Tahoe Public Utility District has expanded its customer assistance program for low-income customers. Qualifying ratepayers can receive a 15 percent or 25 percent reduction in their water and sewer bills. Visit stpud.us/financial-assistance-programs for more information and to apply.
People should be on the lookout for poisonous harmful algal blooms in local lakes and waterways this fall. The website https://mywaterquality.ca.gov/ habs/what/visualguide_fs.pdf provides assistance in identifying HABs. HABs should be reported here: https://mywaterquality.ca.gov/habs/do/bloomreport. html.
September 20 is the final summer concert at Tahoe Paradise Park. Jelly Bread takes the stage at 5pm. By donation.
The Guys , a two-person play about the aftermath of 9/11 on a firefighter and a writer will run at the Valhalla Boathouse Theater September 12-15 and September 19-21. Info and tix at valhallatahoe.com. Firefighters admitted free.
The city of South Lake Tahoe will be hosting the annual Multicultural Celebration on September 14 at Bijou Park, 11am to 3pm. Cultural displays and performances, kids’ activities, food trucks and vendors.
The Tahoe Art League is offering a fall package of after school art classes monthly beginning October 7. Cost, $60 per child for three sessions, $110 per two students—siblings or friends. Materials
included. Call Kathy Dewey, (707) 3440510 for info or to sign up.
Douglas County voters can check on their voter registration status prior to the November election at Register.To.Vote. NV.Gov.
August’s 7th annual Brewfest raised over $125,000 for the Boys and Girls Club of Lake Tahoe. More than 2,000 people attended the event from as far away as Japan and France. Mark the calendar for next year’s Brewfest, August 23, 2025.
The Eldorado National Forest has published an environmental assessment of its Caldor Fire Restoration Project. The plan can be viewed at www.fs.usda.gov/ project/?project=63359. The Forest Service is accepting comments on the plan through September 27.
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is hosting a virtual workshop on the Tahoe El Dorado Area Plan on September 12 at 5:30pm. The workshop will review progress, summarize community input and outline next steps. For more information, visit TEDAreaPlan.com. Register to attend at bit. ly/TEDVirtualWorkshop2.
After a four-year hiatus, Oktoberfest returns to Camp Rich Oct. 5-6. Entrance is free for this family-friendly event.
The League to Save Lake Tahoe’s annual Tahoe Forest Stewardship Day is Sept. 29, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Rabe Meadow in Stateline. Sign up online: https://volunteer.keeptahoeblue.org/need/detail/?need_ id=914728.
Heavenly and Northstar ski resorts plan to open Nov. 22, while Kirkwood hopes to follow on Dec. 6.
University of Oregon wants to hear from Caldor Fire evacuees for a research project. Contact Christian Tensuan at (650) 336-4919 or ctensuan@uoregon.edu.
TAMBA is celebrating the new lower Tyrolian reroute and bridge on Oct. 11, 2-5 p.m. at the Incline trail.
South Lake Tahoe’s Lake Shore Lodge & Spa is on the market for $18 million.
Barton Health offers free blood pressure checks the first and third Wednesday of each month from 8 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. at 2170B South Ave., SLT.
Barton Health will be hosting a suicide prevention and awareness webinar on September 12 led by Carolyn Eddy, licensed clinical social worker. Registration required. Sign up at BartonHealth.org/ Lecture. People in crisis can call 988 any time for support and assistance.
Join a Barton Health wellness advocate for a free, guided stroll down the Dennis Machida Memorial Parkway at 5pm, September 16. For more information visit BartonHealth.org/Wellness Outings.
Barton Health Orthopedics Nurse Sarah Balasanian is the recipient of the DAISY award for extraordinary nurses.
“Sarah had the best bedside manner and truly went above and beyond,” said the foot surgery patient who nominated Balasanian.
South Tahoe Public Utility District customers can receive a free “smart” water monitoring device to detect leaks, prevent water damage, understand how water is used in the home and be part of a statewide study. The device can be installed in 10 minutes and data accessed by an app.
The Sierra Nevada Alliance is coordinating the Great Sierra River Cleanup a Sierra Nevada-wide cleanup, on September 21 from 9 am to 12 pm with several sites in the Lake Tahoe basin and hosted by local organizations and agencies, including events at Zephyr Cove/Shoals and Sawmill Pond. For more information about these cleanups and to volunteer, visit https://sierranevadaalliance.org/great-sierra-river-cleanup/#join.
The Tahoe Area Sierra Club is hosting Matt Newberry from Liberty Utilities to speak about Electric Vehicles (EVs) and the basics about EVs as part of their Future of Electric Vehicles presentation on September 24 at 5 pm at the South Tahoe Public Library. Visit https://act.
sierraclub.org/events/details?formcampaignid=701Po00000IGwfBIAT for more information.
The South Lake Tahoe Firefighters Association was this year’s winner of the $1,000 duck-race prize at the Optimist Club’s annual Day in Paradise held in July. Take the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency transportation survey as it prepares its 2050 Regional Transportation Plan. Visit https://pbstanford.org/tahoertp
The Parasol Foundation awarded grants to 11 South Shore non-profits as part of the latest $400,000 Giving for Good campaign, an increase of $100,000 over last year.
The work of local artist Shelley Zentner has been chosen to grace the walls of Cowork Tahoe at mid-town and Untethered at Round Hill. Free, opening showings will be held September 20 from 5:30pm to 9pm at Cowork and October 11 from 6pm to 9pm at Untethered, including short talks by Jamie and David Orr about art and physics. Refreshments will be served. For more information visit www.shelleyzen.us or call 530/318-7824.
Tahoe Transportation District's Carl Hasty is retiring after 15 years at the helm. Local author and teacher Bridey Heidel, whose memoir Bright Eyes was reviewed in the Tahoe Mountain News last month, will be holding two upcoming events on September 17 at the South Lake Tahoe Library at 5:30pm and September 24 at Divided Sky at 4:30pm.
The Lake Tahoe Visitors’ Authority is inviting local non-profits to apply for $75,000 in grants funded by proceeds from this year’s Celebrity Golf tournament. The deadline to apply is September 23. Visit https://ltva.org/american-century-championship-donation-request-application/
Got a community item for Heard? Email mountainnews2@gmail.com, subject line “Heard.”
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Revelers partake in the annual Brewfest which raised over $125,000 for the Boys and Girls Club last month.
Doing the homework on the school bond measure
Let me get this out of the way right up front for you impatient ones – I’m a "no" vote on Measure U, the Lake Tahoe Unified School District bond measure. But it’s a little complicated.
. . the complications
For many voters, the hurdle to a “yes” vote will be the fact that they’re still paying on a few bonds that extend well into the future for both LTCC and LTUSD.
These are:
Measure C – LTUSD (passed in 1999), extending to Aug. 2031;
Measure G – LTUSD (passed in 2008), extending to Aug. 2045;
Measure F – LTCC (passed in 2014), extending up to 40 years, as near as I can tell.
We can assume a bond passed this November would extend roughly 30 years out (last year’s failed Measure K was set to extend to the fiscal year 2057-58).
And given how far most of our jobs lag behind the
inflation we’re experiencing these days—whether it’s gas, groceries, insurance, dining out or anything else—I completely understand the dread over taking on another financial burden. After all, bonds are about “taking one for the team” but for most locals today, the team doesn’t seem to be doing much for its players. Want an example? There used to be a fifty-cent-per-gallon difference between gas in Tahoe and Gardnerville; now you can sometimes find a two-dollar difference. No amount of “California fees” rationale can close that gap for me. Our financial “boats” are getting slammed by waves from every direction, and the idea of taking on even more cargo right now is a tough sell.
That aside, I don’t have many issues with the bond measure itself as it’s written—with the exceptions I’ll mention below. I also agree that most, if not all, of the proposed projects are sorely needed—some of them urgently. Also, this time around, the district and board are bringing a better plan forward than they did for Measure K, Nov 2022. This one has a clearer outline of the oversight/accountability piece and seemingly clearer language tying the spending to the projects folks are actually voting to approve. Again, I don’t mind the text of the ballot for the most part.
In fact, if I had more confidence in our district’s leadership and school board, I might be voting differently.
Specifically, I’m referring to the several-years’-long pattern of mismanaging staff and demonstrating a serious disconnect from the schools and people they are entrusted to oversee. This disconnect is so pervasive throughout the district office and school board leadership that it has undermined effectiveness in our schools. This isn’t just some “axe” to grind but a widely-shared observation.
I’m also talking about a school board— not just the current iteration—that forgets it’s there to oversee the district office and superintendent, seeing itself instead as an extension of district management.
My point is, if you can’t be trusted to manage people and schools without constant harm and mess-making, and you don’t seem to understand your schools and the people in them, how can I trust you to carry out these bond projects effectively? In the end, I cannot.
Turning to the bond measure itself: for years now, it seems that administrations and school boards have mostly concerned themselves with the “shiny new thing” rather than putting children first. This isn’t unique to Lake Tahoe Unified. But this time, it’s $127-million-dollars’ worth of shiny.
Some areas of concern within the ballot measure text
Exhibit B, Section II: “ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES”
This section lays out an “Annual Performance Audit,” which is supposed to “ensure that the bond proceeds have been expended only on the school facilities projects described in the Bond Project List.” Then there’s an “Annual Financial Audit,” which you’d want to see, of course. Finally, there’s an “Annual Report to Board,” which is typically a status report on the projects, funds, and so on. I would ask, why “annual” instead of, say, every two months? Both in scope and cost, this seems a huge enough undertaking and a heavy enough responsibility and public trust that it should warrant accounting far more often than once a year.
Exhibit B, Sec. 4 and Exhibit C, Sec. 3:
These sections repeat a concerning phrase that comes up a few places in the ballot text—i.e. that the estimates and projections are “not binding upon the District, nor are the summary or average payment estimates, if any, provided in the Ballot Label.” Now, I get that tax rates and other variables necessitate some wiggle room, but with LTUSD, this kind of language makes me nervous as a homeowner paying the bill. And let’s be honest, most of our leaders won’t be paying this bill over the decades to come. Administrators tend to move on while teachers and staff tend to stay put.
RESOLUTION NO. 2023/24 07, Section 11: “Further Authorization”
This section authorizes the superintendent and the chief business officer “individually and collectively, to do any and all things that they deem necessary . . to effectuate the purposes of this Resolution, including, without action of the board, modification of the Full Ballot Text, the Ballot Label and Tax Rate Statement if either determines such modifications are necessary and in the District’s best interests.” If you’re curious, the parts that concern me most are “without action of the board” and “in the District’s best interests.” Why? Because I don’t trust a superintendent or chief business officer to make whatever changes they see fit, and “in the District’s best interests” may be defined as whatever they think that means.
Your vote?
I’ll admit, this has been a tough exercise to work through, and I completely understand why others might vote to approve this measure. Do your homework, ask your questions, evaluate the arguments and those making them—including me.
As always, feel free to email mikesmutterings@ gmail.com
Lights flickering on South Shore theater scene
Instead of a double bill, it’s more like a double blow to theater on the South Shore with Lake Tahoe Community College practically going dark this school year and the Black Ice Theatre Company dissolving.
“The college has been making lot of decisions about theater without connecting with the theater community and having any dialogue,” said Dave Hamilton, former head of LTCC’s theater department and current TMN movie reviewer. “The college has just never put any real energy into the theater. Let’s have a vision and a plan. There is no other the-
ater facility like this on the South Shore.”
The remaining live theater venues are Valhalla, which is seasonal, and South Tahoe High School, which has shows twice a year. Tahoe Arts Project and LTCC’s Connect Ed offer children’s theater, while the Stateline events center has some shows that fall into the arts category.
“We are losing art and we are losing beauty and we are losing thoughtfulness,” Andrea Rogers, Black Ice managing director, said of her company folding and LTCC not allowing outsiders to rent the space.
It means fewer opportunities for the public to see shows and not as many roles for local actors. Valhalla’s stage is limiting, so big productions like a musical are impossible. The high school is student actors only.
“Other than Valhalla, with us being gone, there is not a lot of live theater in town,” actor Brandon McCarthy said. “The casinos have their things and the magic show at The Loft.
“If was up to me, I would build a state-of-the-art brand new theater in the middle of town where all of us could participate and view theater.”
LTCC once had a thriving theater arts department, which was the goal when the college was first built.
“I feel strongly that (fine arts) is part of education,” Jim Duke, LTCC’s first president, said. “I’ve been disappointed the drama program has virtually disappeared.”
The original plans called for a building to house theater, art and music. That theater, which now bears Duke’s name, was built in the second phase of construction after he retired.
Roberta Mason, a key player in the birth of the college and
one of the original trustees on the board, is hopeful a thriving theater program will return to LTCC. She has seen practically every performance in this black box theater that opened in 1996.
“It’s a very flexible, usable venue. The seats can be folded back, it can go in the round,” Mason said.
Rhonda Keen loves the college theater because of its capabilities. One of the reasons the actress moved to South Lake Tahoe was for the small town with rich theater options. She was part of Black Ice, loves acting and singing. What she likes to do,
she said, Valhalla can’t accommodate. She has choregraphed shows at STHS, Valhalla and for Black Ice.
But the loss of Black Ice and the college theater is more than personal for Keen.
“Theater has so many things to teach that are applicable to the real world. Accountability big time—we need you when you said you would be there. It’s not like a job where if you are not there, it doesn’t matter. If you are not here, you are letting down the whole cast,” Keen said. “We need you to be creative, to think, and be OK when we shoot your idea down. Those are important lessons to learn in life.”
Troubled waters
LTCC and Black Ice are intertwined as the college theater was the venue the company called home.
“When we first met in 2017 to discuss forming a company, it was a transitional period in South Shore theater. Not only was the South Shore lacking live theater opportunities in general, but there wasn’t an outlet for telling more grounded, human stories,” said Rich Sargent, the founder of Black Ice who no longer lives in South Lake Tahoe. “We also wanted to bring the idea of auditioning back to town to see what
new and exciting talent might be out there just waiting for a chance to be seen.”
While it’s true the college’s program was in disarray at the time, local theater was alive on the South Shore—just not what Sargent and some others wanted to participate in. Which was edgier, not necessarily family-friendly productions.
Fingers point in all directions as to why LTCC’s theater department unraveled. Some say it had to do with Susan Boulanger who had been at the helm since 2009. Others point to the state restricting how often a class could be repeated.
Enrollment was problematic. In 2011-12, the 188 students in theater arts equated to 25.26 full-time equivalent students. In 2015-16, the numbers dropped to 82 enrollees or 14.61 FTES; a decline of more than 56 percent. Usually one degree per year was awarded, with 2011-12 hitting a record of three.
Boulanger left in January 2018, being replaced by adjunct faculty and temporarily by Hamilton, who was her predecessor. The disarray at the college created a perfect opportunity for someone else to step in. LTCC and Black Ice entered into a memorandum of understanding that until this summer had been
working on the surface. Both sides agree it was never a perfect arrangement.
Today, the two entities disagree whether the college ended the agreement in June with the proper 30-day notice, as well as if all financial transactions are settled. One says doors were left open, causing security concerns; the other says access to the building was a hassle.
They disagree about who was supposed to staff tables in the lobby during productions.
“Everything in that MOU the college was supposed to do they did not do,” Rogers said.
Ali Bissonnette, LTCC’s chief of staff for strategic initiatives, counters, “The MOU was not working for us or them.”
Current opportunities
Valhalla continues to provide an array of choices for audiences and actors.
mer was the most profitable theater production Valhalla has seen,” Peart said. “We are getting more notoriety. We were voted best indoor entertainment venue this year.”
The Guys will be performed eight nights this month at the Boathouse.
On Oct. 3, Hamilton is putting together a 50-year retrospective of theater on the South Shore at Valhalla. It will include the Tahoe Children’s Theatre Company, STHS, LTCC, South Lake Tahoe Theatre Company, Scrooge, Tahoe Improv Players, Valhalla Boathouse Theater, Black Ice Theatre, and 4th Wall Down Productions.
The annual WordWave one-act play competition is in November.
Ethan Niven, who runs the theater at STHS, is working on “Little Shop of Horrors” for this fall. He has also been a
ity for sets and costumes. That, though, changed this year.
“We got a call the day that everything was being thrown in dumpsters,” said Ginger Nicolay-Davis, an actress and member of the Valhalla board. “It takes years to create a costume collection and furniture collection like that. Years of people donating. Valhalla would have loved to have had it all, but of course we have nowhere to put it.”
Erik Baker, LTCC adjunct theater instructor, wanted to let the community take what they wanted but said he was told by higher ups that was not going to happen.
“We had 30 years’ worth of stuff. Now we have one box of stuff,” Baker said. The rest is in a landfill.
He was told it all had to go for fire safety reasons.
“We used a ton of that
Meg Peart, who was hired as executive director in October 2023, says the biggest challenge is finding the right play for Tahoe audiences with a set that will fit in the Boathouse Theater.
“Our theater productions do very well out here. Last sum-
director at Valhalla. He did not return multiple calls.
Other issues
One of Black Ice’s jobs at the get-go was to clean up the theater.
Still, a lot remained because there was storage capac -
stuff. The college had been the place where everyone stored their stuff. Black Ice and the high school stored stuff; and Valhalla borrowed things,” Baker said.
He fears that going forward, set designs are going to be lacking. On top of that, Kurt
LTCC's first president, JIm Duke, hopes a robust theater program returns to the college.
Valhalla's summer 2023's production of Men on Boats is one of the larger casts for this small stage.
Joanie SanAgustin and Sharon Kerrigan in Black Ice’s 2022 production of The Spitfire Grill.
to make our community sustainable. A lawsuit filed this summer naming 10 community members as parties of interest was the latest attempt by the opposition to use out-of-town money to sap resources and intimidate supporters, rather than engage in civil dialogue. Here is the truth: Measure N introduces a tax only on unoccupied homes sitting vacant for more than half the year, to incentivize use of existing housing, while generating tens of millions of dollars each year for housing, roads, and transit. The Measure easily funds
its own administration, estimated by the City to be three percent of projected revenue — and as a special tax, proceeds can only be spent on housing, roads, and transit.
Vacancy taxes are effective and have been proven to work. Measure N has exemptions for non-winterized cabins, renovations, emergencies and disasters, estate transfers, residents in medical care, military, firefighters, and more.
More than 7,000 homes in South Lake Tahoe now sit empty most of the year — and
even before a dollar is spent, Measure N will shift the incentives to use houses for housing. Measure N is good for local businesses.
An independent report projected Measure N will recover up to 1,500 full-time households, increasing local retail spending by $27 million annually. And for those who choose to keep their houses vacant for more than half the year, Measure N creates an economic offset to support a vibrant community and place to visit. Second homeowners will benefit from improved roads and transit. At the city’s
current pace, it will otherwise take more than 100 years to fix the roads.
We must solve the housing crisis before it gets worse — before we become Aspen, Vail, or Tahoe City where 70 percent of the homes are vacant. This is our chance to ensure we don’t.
Don’t be swayed by nearly $1 million in out-of-town spending. Vote with local residents.
Vote for a community that’s vibrant, not increasingly vacant. Vote Yes on Measure N.
one of only 10 California communities to earn the coveted Prohousing Designation for their efforts to encourage the development of housing at all income levels.
The State of California Prohousing Designation Program is part of a package of supports, incentives, and accountability measures established in the 2019-20 Budget Act. By earning the Prohousing Designation, communities receive exclusive access to grants and additional points in the scoring of competitive housing, community development, and infrastructure funding programs administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The hard work of advocating for affordable housing is being done not by the proponents of Yes on N, but by the leaders of the No on N campaign and the Keep Community First Coalition. There are several hundred units of affordable housing in the pipeline, the flagship of which is Sugar Pine Village, with its 248 deed-restricted units. Phase 1 of this project will welcome its first residents this fall. The city council recently set aside another $1 million in funding from the city’s “General Fund Unassigned Undesignated Excess Reserves” to help advance a major housing project at 3900-3908 Lake Tahoe Boulevard. There
are several smaller projects in the planning stages at various city locations.
South Lake Tahoe has always been a community that thrives when we celebrate the contributions and value of everyone who loves this special place, be they fulltime residents, second homeowners, or visitors. Our economy depends on the extra money second homeowners and visitors bring. Any local business owner, including shopkeepers and restaurant owners, will tell you that these folks spend more money when they are here. That creates jobs and tax revenue for locals. Many second homeowners are deeply involved in this
community. Measure N unfairly blames certain people in our community for what are really larger, regional and statewide challenges. This does not make us a very welcoming community. Not being a welcoming community hurts local jobs, small businesses and our economy.
Let’s reject community divisions and the false promise of housing solutions that won’t be delivered. Vacancy taxes have failed everywhere in the world they’ve been tried. Let’s not make the same mistake here.
CONSTRUCTION & PAINTING CO.
EDCo DA takes action on potential voter fraud
The El Dorado County District Attorney has sent out 161 letters to people who recently registered to vote in the city of South Lake Tahoe outlining the requirements about where one can legally register to vote and the penalties for registering and voting where one does not primarily reside. Measure N has raised numerous questions about who can vote and where they can vote with some on both sides accusing the other side of misinterpreting the law and misleading potential voters about whether or not they can cast a ballot in the city. The initiative would tax mainly second homeowners who occupy their Tahoe dwelling less than 182 days a year and use that money toward affordable housing, transit, roads and administration.
“Early this year, when the petition was pulled to start collecting signatures, we knew it would create a lot of interest and a lot of people would really want to vote on it because they were affected by it,” said Bill O’Neill, El Dorado County registrar of voters.
“A lot of people were changing their registration to South Lake Tahoe, but keeping their (out of area) mailing address where they wanted the ballot sent to, causing concerns they were illegally changing their registration to vote on this particular measure.”
About a month ago, the El Dorado County Elections Department ran an audit on new voters in the city and shared questionable registrations with the DA’s office, which sent out the letters. The Elections Department and the DA are seeking to prevent the type of situation that occurred at Fallen Leaf Lake more than a decade ago when several vacation homeowners in that community changed their voter registration in violation of California law to vote on a fire district measure. What followed was a multi-year investigation by the California
Department of Justice, the California Secretary of State and the El Dorado County Elections Department and DA. While ultimately no charges were filed against anyone due to what were determined to be honest misunderstandings about the law, it was a confusing mess that left the results of the election and the legal fate of potentially fraudulent voters in limbo. “We wanted to head this off at the pass,” said O’Neill. The letter sent out by the DA reads in part, “California Election Code clearly states that a registered voter who has more than one residence must choose the residence for which they claim a property tax exemption on their taxes as the primary residence for purposes of voting in an election. The election law further states that the primary residence is determined by the address used for your driver’s license and vehicle registration.” The letter goes on to state, “California Election Code also states that it is a felony to commit fraud in connection with a vote cast or to be cast in an upcoming election and is punishable by up to three years in prison.”
In closing, the letter instructs recipients to “correct this error immediately” or contact the DAs office if they believe their city of South Lake Tahoe registration is valid. Since the letter went out, about 30 percent of recipients have changed their voter registration back to their original address, said O’Neill, though more suspicious registrations may have been filed in the mean-
time. Elections officials will run another audit of city voters in early September, he said.
The No on N website states, “The decision on where each citizen registers to vote is up to them, but it must be their domicile as defined in the Elections Code. You can only have one domicile, even if you own more than one home. Please note that when you sign a voter registration card, you are signing
under penalty of perjury that the information on the card is accurate and truthful. In short, if your residence in Tahoe is not your domicile, please do not register to vote here.”
Concluded O’Neill, “We really just want people to understand what the law is. Not complying could expose people to potential legal action and we just don’t want that. We want to prevent people from getting in trouble.”
Orton leaves 'em laughing
The basin is losing a founding member of Tahoe Improv Players to retirement.
Gerry Orton, at 81 years old, is still funny, has great timing and a desire to entertain. But he no longer wants to commit to regular gigs or have the administrative responsibilities of the troupe.
“I loved the challenge of not knowing what you are going to say next and having to react in the present to your partner and carrying on,” Orton said of improv. “I loved the challenge of it. We get up on stage and don’t have a clue what we are going to do. Who does that? And you have an audience out there.”
Unscripted hilarity—that’s what improv is all about.
It differs from acting and standup comedy in that there are no lines to memorize. Those on stage don’t know what the others will say or do. That’s why it’s call improv, which is short for improvisation. It’s all about spontaneity.
Improv is also part physical comedy. When the audience is asked to participate, it adds another unknown to the spectacle.
Orton and Frank Riley started the local troupe in 1993 after they, along with Colin Burrows, took an improv class at Lake Tahoe Community College taught by
Dave Hamilton. Hamilton, who writes the Mountain News movie reviews, taught for years at the college and was director of the theater department.
Hamilton said improv is “harder because on stage you are thinking ahead, while in the moment you are reacting to stuff and trying to keep things moving forward, and hoping things are funny for the audience. It’s just a different skill set.”
At the get-go it was ComedySportz Lake Tahoe. Orton and Riley went to Chicago to learn from the masters of ComedySportz, which was founded in 1984. The concept is comedy played as a sport, with two teams competing in improv games.
It wasn’t long before Orton started teaching improv, which was one way to get new players.
“It was really teaching life skills,” he said. “When you are dealing with youngsters, it’s about positivity, trustworthiness, always wanting to make your partner look good, being present in the now, listening. All of these kinds of skills are important in improv and life.”
The Tahoe group evolved into Tahoe Improv Players in 1997, now the oldest comedy troupe in the basin. Games may still be part of a show, but other aspects of
improv are central to each performance.
For Orton’s last show on Oct. 19 at the Boathouse Theatre at Valhalla, it will be the locals pitted against ComedySportz San Jose in a variety of games—thus a full circle from his beginnings.
Orton has been living in Monterey with “the love of his life” for the last 20 years. But don't be surprised if he makes a guest appearance every now and again with the Tahoe Improv Players.
“We know each other pretty well and how to play up on what’s said,” Riley said of Orton. “Every show is new. We have easily done 1,000 shows.”
Initially, they played all over the basin, mostly in bars. Sometimes they filled the place, other times the audience was meager. Now they have quite a following. Mostly the group calls the Boathouse home, with a handful of shows each season.
Tahoe Improv Players ensemble includes Riley, Burrows (who will take over the leadership), Hamilton, Pam Taylor, Jeff Whitt, Lisa Patterson and April Foiles. Johnny Bolton and Jayme Foremaster live in SoCal, but make regular appearances.
The South Lake Tahoe Optimist Club would like to thank everyone who participated in another successful DAY IN PARADISE DUCK RACE that was held Saturday July 20th.
We had 120 Business ducks this year and would like to thank the following businesses:
Alpine Carpet One, Alpine Metals, Art’s Transmission, Ashley Vance Engineering, Azul Latin Kitchen, Bare Roots Co ee, Barton Hospital, Base Camp Pizza, Better Built Tahoe, Billmans Roo ng, Blue Bird Plumbing, Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe, California Burger, Club Live, Cul de Sac Holdings, LLC, Cuppa Tahoe, Diamond Woodcraft, Divided Sky, DL Masonry, DMF Properties, Dr Thomas Rutner, Eastern Sierra Engineering, Ed Cook Tree & Crane Service, Eloise Automotive, Emerald Bay Bar & Grill, Fallen Leaf Landing, Ferguson Excavating, Fix It South Lake Tahoe, Frank Iannetta Roo ng, Frank Jones Mobil Repair, Haen Constructors, Handy Smith, Hatch Electric, Herback General Engineering, Hydro Fire, Jack Rabbit Plumbing, Jason Reid DMD, Jon Hetherton Insurance, K&K Roo ng ,Kcazmar Painting, KD Builders, Kemper Masonry, Ken’s Tires, Key Architecture, Kunibe Cousins, Kunibe Family, Lake Tahoe Golf Course, Lake Valley Fire Dept, Lakeside Beach, Lam Nguyen DDS, Langenfeld Ace Hardware, LP Insurance, Lukins Water Company, Mark Klover CPA, McLean Accountancy, Mireya Ortega- High Sierra Dental Care, Monarch Architecture, Mountain Valley Floors, Nancy Dalton, Nicole Buell DDS, Nixon’s Heating, O The Hook, Overland Meat Company, Paci c Built, Pape Equipment, Paul Genasci DDS, Parigini Orthodontics, Port a Subs, Pyramid Peak Sports, Rachel Appelblatt DMD, Radach Constructors, Reliapro Painters, ReMax Realty, Remy & Adrian Combs, Ron Fuller Construction, SD Stone, Sierra Tahoe Ready Mix, Sierra Valley Electric, Ski Air HVAC, Smiles by Bocchi, Sonney’s BBQ, South Lake Tahoe Fire Dept, South Shore Boats, South Shore Glass, South Side Auto Body, South Tahoe Refuse, Struve Automotive, Tahoe Blue Print, Tahoe Dentists, Tahoe Fence, Tahoe Gear Exchange, Tahoe Hockey Academy, Tahoe Pool Service, Tahoe Tax & Accounting Services, The Woods, Tillson Law O ce, Trans Sierra Investments, TW Construction, V&C Construction, Vince D’Ascoli Orthodontics, Warren Reed Insurance, Western Nevada Supply, Zen Builders and Z-Tek Services
Munger, who built sets and did other work in the theater, recently retired and no one has taken his place.
Future possibilities
Those in local theater believe putting on a production at the Stateline event center likely won’t happen because it would be too hard to fill that many seats night after night, which would be a financial catastrophe.
Kevin Boryczki, general manager of the Nevada venue, said, “I think there is the opportunity in the future for a national touring theater show to come to the Tahoe Blue Event Center. Some of these tours build their production to play arenas, which also allows them to do one day of performances instead of having to stay in the same facility for multiple days.”
In the last year the site has hosted stage performances such as Cirque Dreams Holidaze, Paw Patrol, Dancing with the Stars, and Blippi. On Dec. 13, Disney Jr. Live will be in the house.
Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority is creating an arts and culture committee, which could be a boon for local live theater.
“LTVA has been involved with Valhalla since 2015 with sponsorships totaling $70,500, with $18,000 from three separate contributions from the American Century Championship,” LTVA Executive Director Carol Chaplin said. “The 2023 support included $12,500 toward marketing efforts. Tahoe Arts Project has also received $26,000 in grants since 2012 as a result of ACC.”
The college has TedTalks and other student-oriented events on the calendar.
Baker’s next play at LTCC will be in June; normally college productions are in March. When classes start Sept. 16, this will be his third year. He teaches one class a quarter, with improv on the fall schedule.
He offered it last spring but didn't have the 10 students needed.
The main reason officials say no theater during this school year is to take the time to fix the theater—primarily the sound and lighting systems.
“We had the money to do it all and then the state took over 50 percent of it back last year,” Russi Egan, vice president of administrative services, said. “We are scrambling to redo the entire plan.”
Egan expects the lights and sound improvements to cost about $200,000. She is expecting to go out to bid in January.
That timing, then, doesn’t explain why Black Ice is now staging its final production—Misery—in Minden in October and November instead of at the college.
For now, the college is moving forward without Black Ice.
“First of all, we want a very functional theater that is in use. We definitely don’t want it dormant,” Bissonnette said. “We don’t think anything is off the table. We want theater in the theater. We need to find a really good way to make it work.”
In addition to the Duck Race, we also had an extremely popular and hugely successful silent action. We would like to thank the following businesses / people who made that possible: Advanced Cosmetic Surgery/Derm, Alpine Smith, Anderson’s Bicycle Rental, Art’s Transmission, Azul Electric Supply, Bare Roots Co ee, Becki Johnson, Bliss Salon, Bruschetta Fine Italian Cuisine, Cafe’ Fiori, California Burger Co, Camp Richardson Corral, Casey’s Restaurant, Casto Chiropractic, Chicken in a Barrel, Cool Beans Creamery & Deli, Cuppa Tahoe, Cutthroat Markleeville, Earthwise Pet Nutrition & Wellness Spa, Edgewood Tahoe Resort, Elements Eatery & Bar, Eloise Automotive, Fire & Ice, Five Star Auto, Freel Perk Co ee, Frescana’s Mexican Bistro, GaiaLicious Boutique, Garen Gourmet Foods, Getaway Cafe, Goodfella’s Pizza, Heavenly Lake Tahoe Vail Resorts, Henderson Family, Holiday Market, Jim Bagan Toyota, Frank Jones, Ken’s Tire Center, Lake Tahoe Blue Wave Cruises, Lake Tahoe Golf Course, Lakeshore Lodge & Spa, Lakeside Termite & Pest Control, Langenfeld Ace Hardware, MacDu ’s Public House, Magic Carpet Golf, Marcus Ashley Gallery, Meeks Lumber – Tahoe, Meeks Lumber – Meyers, Napa Auto Parts, Pape Machinery, Premium Disc Golf, Primo’s Italian Bistro, Zao Reid, Riva Grill, Sierra Alternators & Starters, Sierra At Tahoe, Sierra Nevada Back ow, Sierra Valley Electric, Ski Bum Family, Inc., Ski Run Boat Co, Sonney’s BBQ, South Lake Brewing, South Lake E-bikes, South of North Brewing Co, South Side Auto Body, South Tahoe Refuse/Marchini Family, Sprouts Natural Food Cafe, Steamers Bar & Grill, SUP Tahoe, Tahoe Blue Vodka, Tahoe Bros Charbroiled Burgers, Tahoe Heartbeat, Tahoe Paradise Golf Course, Tahoe Sport shing, Tahoe Tastings Boat Tour, The Clipper, Trapped in Tahoe, West Coast Sourdough, and Yugen Cuisine.
HUGE shout out to Luca Genasci, and Lake Tahoe AleworXs for donating the adult beverages this year. We would also like to give a shout out to the following businesses and people who made this possible: CA Conservation Corp, South Tahoe Refuse, Tahoe Paradise Park, Richard Jacobson, Club Live, Junior Optimist Club, Heather Ross, Ryan Hock, Kris Keesling, Paula Peterson, Peter Loughlin, Steve Harness and Howie Nave.
And of course, all the members of the SOUTH LAKE TAHOE OPTIMIST CLUB!
Thank you everyone for making this another successful fundraising event and hope to see you next July 19th.
Dave Hamilton worked full time either as a theater arts instructor or department chair at LTCC from 1989-2008. Guilty Christmas at Valhalla Boathouse Theater in November will mark his 100th production as a producer and director.
Gerry Orton, left, director of Tahoe Improv Players, with co-founder Frank Riley, and incoming director Colin Burrows.
Avoid injury pickles when playing pickleball
Pickleball injuries are keeping up with the growth of the sport, with wrist and ankle issues predominating, according to Barton Health docs.
Kyle Swanson, a surgeon with Tahoe Orthopedic and Sports Medicine, in a talk this summer said people older than 50 sustain 90 percent of the injuries even though the fastest growing sector of players are younger than 30.
“Women have an increased risk of fracture, while men have increased risk of sprains and strains,” Swanson said.
Swanson understands what his patients go through on the court. He picked up the paddle game after playing tennis most of his life. He admits it’s easier to learn, saying, “You can have minimal ath-
letic skill, minimal eye-hand-ball coordination, and you can still get good at it in a really short period of time.”
Those factors along with it being relatively cheap to play contribute to pickleball’s place as the fastest growing sport in the United States for the last three years. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, there were 8.9 million players in the U.S. last year, an increase from 4.8 million in 2022.
Pickleball has been around since 1965, with the United States Amateur Pickleball Association forming in 1984, rebranding as USA Pickleball in 2020. The first national tournament was in 2009. The inaugural pickleball association ambassador retreat was in Tahoe City in 2015.
Swanson suggests contacting your physician and possibly getting baseline lab tests before starting any new sport—like pickleball—that involves cardiovascular exertion.
Women, Swanson said, tend to have more breaks because of low bone density. He recommends women starting at age 50 get a base line bone density test and monitor it going forward.
Lower extremity injuries tend to occur when people roll their foot while running or lunging, thus tearing ligaments on the outside of the ankle.
The MCL, or medial collateral ligament, is the prevalent knee problem. The MCL
is like a shock absorber. When it goes, so does the cushion.
Achilles tendon tears are a growing category for pickleballers, with men ages 35-55 most at risk, Swanson said. This occurs with plantar flexion when pushing off. Advice for staying out of the emergency room and off the operating table include not backpedaling because it’s easy to trip and fall, with people often putting their arms out. There goes the wrist. Instead, turn sideways to run laterally toward the ball.
The doctor also urges plenty of stretching, and understanding the ready position where knees are slightly bent and players are on the balls of their feet. This will mean less jarring movement that can tweak something.
Pickleball injuries are on the rise as more people take up the sport.
While surgery isn't necessary for all pickleball injuries, Kyle Swanson, a doctor with Barton Health, can help if needed.
Welcome to the Middle Ages
Well, it’s your 40th birthday and you’ve made it quite clear that you aren’t happy about it. But neither was I 40 years ago, when I had to break up a wrestling match between your father and your uncle to tell them my water had broken and I was going into labor.
Your father said, “Really?”
I pointed to the puddle on the floor between my feet. And, like any responsible expectant father, he immediately ran to grab a mop. Then he handed it to me.
So despite your utter horror at the thought, I think it’s best if you just accept the fact that you are now officially referred to as a middle-aged man. Hahahahahahaha.
After all the tantrums when denied gum and candy at the Raley’s check stand, slamming open the dressing room door in Miller’s Outpost and exposing me to a crowd of strangers at the moment of my utmost nakedness, hiding from me in the circular clothes racks while I furiously spun them searching for you (while simultaneously making plans to ship you off to some
place weird and scary like church camp), sneaking out your bedroom window for nocturnal wanderings in search of girls or booze or, preferably, the combination of the two, hurling snowballs from Sierra’s chairlift and racing your snowboard through the forest to escape ski patrol, stealing garden dwarves from the neighbor’s yard, then, when she complained that her dwarves were missing, pooping on her front porch…. I think by turning 40, you’re finally getting the punishment you deserve.
But, not to worry. Middle-age is known as a time of illiteracy, mandatory archery training, hallucinogenic bread, animals being brought to trial, knights who don’t take their oath to virtue seriously and the Black Plague. On the bright side, it is also a time when the piggy bank was invented. Wait. That’s the Middle Ages. What I meant to say is, middle age is not the Dark Ages. Well, technically it is. But middle age these days is a completely new and different experience. Unlike the
peasants who viewed their life as a dismal earthly passage leading to their real life in heaven, you view real heaven as an earthly passage to the nearest golf course. Because, turning 40 “comes with a significant shift in priorities and values,” according to the one 40-year-old peasant who escaped both the plague and the guillotine. It’s a time that allows for “introspection and evaluation of past decades,” along with gratitude for not currently being housed in San Quentin on dwarf abuse charges. Your focus shifts to what truly matters—golfing and back country snowmobiling. And, of course, checking in on your parents to make sure they aren’t sharing their clothing or their medication.
Most of us find by the age of 40 we’ve become more self-confident. It’s a time to look back at our previous life experiences. We’ve survived and come out the other side successfully, with only a few skid marks to remind us of our youthful indiscretions. Or, in your pro-snowboarder case, skidded through with five broken collar bones, three fractured wrists, two concussions, a ruptured spleen and an X-Games medal to prove it.
This is a special time. You finally know what you’re capable of and who you are. You no longer care much about what others think of you. You’ve learned to say “no” to people and commitments. The only opinion that truly matters is your own. Most people who are turning 40 will experience these new feelings. However, you’ve felt this way since you were five. Why is the age of 40 so important? I’m glad you asked. Because it’s the time your parents finally get to heap together the shed, closet and garage kudzu of Legos, Tonka trucks and Matchbox cars
and regift them to you. Happy massive-clutter-muck-boy-mess birthday to you!
Now you have a better sense of what makes you happy. And so do I. Which is why I’m giving you back all your youthful treasures. Just like the knights in the Middle Ages who pledged to live virtuous lives with grandly impossible ideals, my virtuous ideal of pledging to store tons of your scrap metal, and actual reality, are often far apart.
So consider 40 a gateway to self-knowledge. An opportunity for understanding what makes you happy and focusing on what’s important in life. And if that means hanging on to the never-grow-old exuberance in Tahoe, sharing your life with a wonderful woman, playing with good friends and persuading your mom to store your junk for another decade go for it!
Switzerland no more
It’s finally time to take a side. I’ve had a relatively non-confrontational run with this column, attempting to be Switzerland with most issues. But I think it might be time to just state my opinion and let the fan and the feces make contact. Here are my two controversial and likely unpopular views: First, I’m voting “yes” on Measure N. Second, we should retro-bolt dangerous old climbs.
Our family has been inundated with anti-Measure N fearmongering. Signs are up everywhere. Whenever my kiddos open YouTube on our TV, there’s an ad. Facebook, local publications, leaflets and mailers all scream vote No on N. It’s clear that Measure N has a well-funded opposition, which is sort of ironic. The purpose of the vacancy tax is to encourage people to live and spend money full-time here in South Lake Tahoe. All this anti-Measure N advertising is proving the point: rich, out of town, second homeowners have enough money to spend that they can flood the zone with deceptive advertisements. Wouldn’t it be nice if we had that money at our restaurants and local businesses instead of wasted on incessant internet spam and yard and mailbox litter propaganda?
And the absolute ironic zenith was the gathering of anti-N protesters at the corner of Al Tahoe and Hwy 50 last weekend. It’s
hard to believe that the protestors didn’t see the irony of waving signs that would divest money from our town through absentee ownership in front of a shuttered and vacant local business, the Denny’s that has been closed for at least a few months. Come on, really? You couldn’t have chosen a different cross street. It was so tone deaf and inconsiderate, that it was the final straw for me to endorse Measure N. I’m voting “yes.”
Is the language of the ballot measure perfect? No, it isn’t. But we need to do something to keep South Lake Tahoe a place where you can buy a home and raise a family. I don’t want to live in Aspen. I want my kids to have friends whose parents have actual jobs, whose teachers live down the street, whose soccer coaches are other volunteer parents, whose neighborhoods are full of year-long, full-time residents and families. Residents and families who spend money at locally owned businesses, who use local services, who attend and support local events and community service organizations, and who form a full-time community of people who look out for each other, not a part-time vacationland for the rich and famous. Vote “yes” on N. Keep Tahoe local. If you’ve managed to read this far without ripping up the paper, congratulations. I’ll try harder. We should add bolts to
historic rock climbs. Last week there was a tragic and totally avoidable fatality on the east wall of Lover’s Leap. While I don’t know all the particulars and can only share what I’ve surmised from talking with multiple sources, the accident seems to have happened on the second pitch of Fantasia, when the leader took a very large fall and landed (likely inverted) somewhere on the first pitch. Fantasia is a notoriously scary trad climb, earning the designation in Mountain Project of “R,” standing for “runout,” meaning that the lead climber will need to ascend long distances, sometimes as much as 40 feet, before any placements or protections are available. Forty feet without protection means a fall potential of twice that distance, which can be (and in this case was) fatal. If Fantasia were a recent addition to climbing in Northen California, it likely would have had additional bolts added either by the first ascensionists or by someone else. Regrettably, Fantasia is a classic route dating back to 1973, established by Ken Wilson and none other than Royal Robbins. The Royal Robbins. As in the first big wall Royal Robbins: The Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome. As in the Godfather of clean “Rockcraft” who literally wrote the book and its sequel and who is the second coming of Christ to modern alpinists and rock climbers. Both
Robbins and Wilson have passed so we can’t talk to them.
If we could speak with Robbins, I don’t think he’d want to have people dying on his routes in the name of purity or some other egomaniacal ethic of boldness. A few years ago, a young woman on college holiday from New Zealand took a particularly large “cheese-grating” fall off Snake Dike on Half Dome that resulted in a partial paralysis. One of the remaining first ascensionists, Eric Beck, wrote in Climbing Magazine that more bolts could be added to the route to make it safer: “I asked other parties to add more bolts. I even put in a plug for this when I was speaking at Oakdale.”
The young woman who fell on Snake Dike was potentially off route. The fatality on Fantasia may have also been attributed to the logistics of not knowing where to go without a crack to place gear in or a bolt to clip.
Climbing involves risk, as does skiing, mountain biking or any of the outdoor activities that we enjoy. We mitigate that risk by wearing helmets, by making prudent decisions, and by training. But ultimately, risk is one of the reasons we are there in the first place. We love the dopamine rush from a turn in fresh powder, from a log ride on our bikes, and from pulling over a roof 100 feet in the air with our last piece of gear at our toes. Adding bolts to historic climbs, in my humble opinion, does not diminish the legacy of the climb, it just means people won’t die on it.
M.C. Behm is a full-time resident of South Lake Tahoe and author of “Once Upon a Quarantine” and “The Elixir of Yosemite.” Available locally and online. To learn more or respond to columns visit www.behmbooks. com or email mcbehmbooks@ gmail.com.
Orville and Wilbur Wright, Oh yeah, the inventors of the airplane! Well, of course that is what most people think when those names are mentioned. But first of all, they didn’t invent the airplane. What the Wright brothers did in 1903 was make it possible to “control” a flying machine, which made them the first to really fly after decades of inventors before them trying, crashing and even dying.
For me, though, I think of a totally different pair of brothers. Well . . same brothers, but different association.
By 1889, the Wright brothers had started a successful print shop running with several machines
Making it Wright
they had created themselves. Meantime, these same brothers bought two safety bicycles, so called because they had two equal-sized wheels, smaller than the “ordinaries” or “high wheelers” that were the norm just before. In fact, Wilbur had spent some time riding one of those challenging and dangerous high wheelers.
The Wrights really got into wheeling as it was called back then. Wheeling had become very popular across the country at this time as the new safety bikes were more friendly to the average person and were faster and far more convenient than using a horse to go short distances around town.
The brothers were enjoying wheeling so much that they joined the local YMCA Wheelmen with whom they did a bunch of long country rides and entered many races of which Orville won several.
Immersed in the print shop, well, not very long actually, and having a penchant for tinkering, inventing, fixing things—along with their involvement in cycling—it didn’t take long before other riders were coming to them for repair work on bicycles. You know what was next, right? The Wright Cycle Exchange opened in 1892 in Dayton, Ohio. While a friend ran the print shop for them across the street, the brothers repaired and sold bikes at their shop. They sold good brands of bikes like Envoy, Halladay-Temple, Fleetwing, Coventry Cross, Reading, Duchess, Smalley and Warwick. Prices ranged from $40 to $100. The Wrights also rented bicycles and sold parts and accessories. It only took another four years for the brothers to build their own bike, knowing what others were doing and wanting better, a very Wright way of doing things.
It was April 24, 1896, when we were introduced to the Van Cleve, the Wrights’ own custom bicycle. Dayton was about to celebrate its centennial, so historical sentiment was high; the Van Cleves were some of the earliest settlers in Dayton and relatives of the Wright family, so the name was perfect for the time. Soon after, the second and less expensive model, the St Clair was introduced—again, the name from local history as Arthur St Clair was the first president of the Northwest Territory.
The Van Cleve was a beautiful bike, at least in my opinion, with wooden rims, solid rubber tires that measured 28 inches in diameter. The seat was hand-stitched leather stuffed with horse hair, sitting atop two large springs; the handle bars were carved out of ash wood instead of steel, and the grips were cork, all of the above to help absorb the roughness of the terrible dirt roads of Dayton.
Every Van Cleve was custom outfitted to the customer depending on riding style, personal taste and of course, budget. One feature you could get was wheel hubs invented by the Wrights. The dirt roads of the day were tough on bearings in normal hubs, causing them to need cleaning and rebuilding frequently as the bearings and necessary grease were exposed to the elements. The brothers invented a system of felt “seals” and an internal reservoir of oil that would keep dirt out and the bearings clean and lubed. Their claim was that you could go for two years without having to service your hubs! And
we think our sealed hubs today are so modern and cool.
Another invention they came up with a few years later was a coaster brake hub. Most bikes, if they had a brake at all, had very crude ones. All the rider had to do on a Van Cleve was pedal backwards to stop. Brilliant. Several other manufacturers had also applied for a patent on the coaster brake hub like the New Departure Manufacturing company who went on to make it big in the bicycle hub business. The array of design elements from this period that are still in use today always amazes me.
The bicycle industry was very good to the Wright brothers, but around the turn of the century, large manufacturers began to buy up and squash the boutique style businesses. By 1908 the brothers were pretty much done with their bike venture, but they had already begun to dabble in aeronautics, which their very successful bicycle business had made possible.
It is thought that the Wright brothers manufactured several hundred bicycles between 1896 and 1904. Of those, only five are known to exist today, all of course in museums with the oldest Van Cleve from 1897 at the Henry Ford Museum in Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan. I sure would love to pedal a Wright brothers’ bicycle down the street. Guess I had better head over to Dayton and start poking around in old barns; there is probably some dusty old Van Cleve just sittin’ there in a corner full of old farm machinery. Yeah, I think I’ll just go ride my five-inch travel carbon bike down Mr. Toad’s instead.
Screens big and small
I recently got to see Twisters on the big screen. Teresa and I were down in Sausalito where she was doing some work and we decided to put out the big bucks and catch the film at the very cool Cinelounge in Tiburon. It had already been running for a while, so we saw it in their smaller theatre that has big, puffy, loungey chairs spread about a flat floor with a small table between each set of chairs. There were only about eight other people in the theater, so it was very much like a private showing. I purchased an adult beverage and we sat to watch the film on the very high-end projector and screen.
Twisters is a sequel to Twister in that the film references 28 years ago when Bill and Jo did get Dorothy to fly. We know this because a battered Dorothy is still in use by the current-day scientist storm chasers. Otherwise, it is a whole new cast of tornado chasers looking to advance either science or glory.
On the science side is Kate Cooper, a former storm chaser haunted by a massive tornado that took out most of her team back in college but is back to try again, lured by her friend, Javi, to test a new groundbreaking tracking system.
On the glory side is Tyler Owens, a charming and reckless social-media superstar who has taken storm chasing onto a YouTube channel showcasing his daring adventures, the more dangerous the better. When the new storm season promises to be intense, the two of them will butt heads while trying not to get run over by tornados.
Twisters uses the same formula that worked for the recent sequel to Top Gun just without any of the original stars (except for the cameo by Dorothy). The formula is to remake the first film by using many of the same basic elements. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. So let’s check them off: 1.
A scary F5 tornado in the past has deeply affected the central character; 2. Said central character has an innate sense for storms and weather that helps them know what all the people with scientific instruments can’t seem to figure out; 3. Central character has a company of quirky supporting characters who remind you of misfit toys; 4. competing groups chase after tornados getting in each other’s way, including near collisions of caravans out in the middle of Ohio farmland; 5. Big giant tornado threatens town and
chasers run about telling townspeople to take cover as tornado destroys a recently occupied movie theatre (Drive-in in the original); 6. Lead characters start out antagonizing each other, then start to fall for each other as the danger increases; 7. Central character has relative who lives in tornado area, at which point two central characters stop and have dinner with them. So, pretty much the film is Twister in so many ways.
However, there are ways it is different and more like a current film. First off, you get the latest and greatest technology in effects and action. The tornados here are a notch up in scary from the original and don’t have a problem sucking people to their death. Also, in the current action milieu, there is more overall action and destruction front and center. It borders on too much because the sacrifice is that we don’t really get time to know any of the fun, quirky characters. It’s like they each have about a minute to develop who they are and then they mostly become background for Kate and Tyler. Even the dinner sequence, where in the original the whole crew was at dinner interacting like a family, here there is only Kate and Tyler somewhat
flirting over food. Their inevitable partnership is also a bit forced due to time, but at least they don’t enter into romance by the end of the film.
Twisters follows the formula but does it pretty well with highpaced action that puts you right in the path of the tornado. Teresa enjoyed it.
Let me give a quick mention to a little film out on Netflix called Wicked Little Letters taking place in the 1920s in the little English seaside village of Littlehampton amidst a scandal that plagued its residents, creating a mystery. The story follows two neighbors: very religious and conservative Edith Swan, played by Olivia Colman, and rowdy Irish migrant Rose
Gooding, played by Jessie Buckley, who moved to Littlehampton with her daughter after her husband was killed in the great war.
When Edith and fellow residents begin receiving letters insulting them with very elaborate profanities, fingers are pointed at foul-mouthed Rose who is charged with the crime. The anonymous letters create a national sensation and Edith becomes a media darling for her stoic forbearance and tone of forgiveness as Rose is put on trial. Rose denies having anything
to do with the letters and some of the town's women, including police officer Gladys Moss, work against the overbearing patriarchy and begin to investigate the crime themselves, suspecting something amiss. From here secrets may be uncovered and Rose may not be the culprit after all.
Though the film is a mystery comedy, it leans more toward the comedy, though much of the comedy is subtle. All the characters of the town are eccentric in some way or another and the language of the letters is hilarious, though tame by today’s standards.
Olivia Colman is brilliant as Edith who is somewhat passive aggressive, though always polite, with a depth of desire and pain that occasionally leaks out. She is viciously controlled by her overbearing father who keeps her at home. Irish actress Jessie Buckley is also brilliant as Rose, bringing not only her fiery nature, but also a depth of soul that helps some of the more serious moments in the film really sing. Overall Wicked Little Letters is a very well-acted English comedy with heart. Oh, and did I mention the whole thing is based on a true story? Teresa loved it.
Glen Powell plays a storm chaser in Twisters
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Purchase a new cordless electric lawn equipment device from a store or order online.
Apply for the CLIP program at: EDCCleanAir.org
Receive your approved CLIP application via email. Print approved CLIP application. Deliver complete application and copy of receipt for new equipment to EDC AQMD in person or via email. (edcaqmd@edcgov.us )
Within 30 days of the purchase of the new lawn equipment, take the old gas powered lawn equipment and the approved application to an approved disposal site. Disposal site will sign application and return to you.
In 4 to 6 weeks, receive a check from El Dorado County AQMD for your incentive!
Applicants must meet specific eligibility requirements:
• Reside in El Dorado County.
• Currently
• Ride-On Lawnmower - up to $2,000* *incentive amount cannot exceed price of lawn equipment
Summer's not done with Tahoe yet.
